Jack Wilshere: Myles Lewis-Skelly didn’t want to be a left-back and he has found his best position

Jack Wilshere believes Myles Lewis-Skelly will thrive in his new position at Arsenal.

The 19-year-old academy graduate has mostly played as a left-back at senior level since breaking into the first team, but moved into a midfield role in recent weeks.

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Manager Mikel Arteta chose to put Lewis-Skelly in the middle of the pitch en route to their 2025/26 Premier League title triumph.

Whilst his change of position may have raised fans’ eyebrows, it’s something Wilshere knows he’s good enough for having worked with him in the academy.

Lewis-Skelly played in midfield for the former Arsenal star at U18 level, and now carried his experience into the first team.

Appearing on talkSPORT Drive at the Maddison Invitational, a golf event that raises money for various charities, Wilshere was asked about the 19-year-old’s adjustment.

Hosts Darren Bent and Andy Goldstein wondered if he has found his best position, which Wilshere agreed with.

“Yeah, I think so,” he said. “And I think you can see how brave he is. He wants to turn the game forward, I always like that about a midfielder.

“He used to do that all the time in the youth team, and then took it into the Under-21s. I don’t mind him playing left-back because, when I came into the team, I played as a right winger.

“Okay, it’s not right wing, but positions change and you have to be able to adapt, and that’s why I’m so happy for him because he got on with it.

“I know he didn’t want to be a left-back, but he committed himself to it. Obviously, he’s a left-back who goes into midfield.

“So, eventually, once he gets a little bit fitter, probably, he’ll play there more consistently.”

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One final test

Arsenal lifted the Premier League title on the final day of the season and more success could still come.

On Saturday, they face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final, which is live on talkSPORT.

The Gunners could become the seventh English team to win Europe’s elite competition, but in PSG, they face the current European champions.

Wilshere was still in the Arsenal academy in 2006, when they last played in the Champions League final in 2006, losing 2-1 to a Henrik Larsson-inspired Barcelona.

“I think it’s really interesting, actually,” he said of the upcoming clash with PSG. “I’m actually going [to the game in Budapest].

Asked how he got his hands on a ticket, Wilshere said: “I’m working [for broadcaster] TNT.

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“I’ve been looking at PSG, and they kill teams,” he added.

“But, the only team they didn’t kill? Bayern [Munich], and Bayern had a go, Bayern wanted to take the ball.

“I feel like you have to be brave against them, you have to want to take the ball because if you don’t, they’re going to take it and then get their wingers in one v ones, and that’s trouble.”

Goldstein pointed out the difficulty in going a goal behind against a team stacked with talent. “That first goal is so important. If they get it, you’ve got to go after them but the longer it stays 0-0…”

Wilshere replied: “I think that suits Arsenal… even if Arsenal go one up, Arsenal will probably sit a little bit further back, and you don’t want that. You don’t want that, you need to be on the front foot.”

Goldstein then also spoke of the self-belief that Arsenal will have going into the final after winning the Premier League title.

“They [won the league] on the Tuesday before [the final day of the season], they didn’t have to go into that game at the weekend with all that emotion,” Wilshere explained.

“Listen, that doesn’t mean that they’re going to win, because I think PSG won [Ligue 1] ages ago, but they’re used to that.

“I don’t know, maybe it can give Arsenal a boost, it’ll definitely bring them more together as a team when they win something together, it’s the best feeling ever. So, let’s see.”